PHOTOS: A day in the life of a sponsored child

What do your sponsored children do on their days off from school? Have you ever wondered what a weekend or school holiday looks like for them? Meet 10-year-old Peggy from Zambia and see how she spends a free day. (Photos by Collins Kaumba/World Vision.)

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6 a.m. -- Wake up and pray!

The roosters are crowing, the sun is rising, and Peggy jumps out of bed, refreshed after sleeping in. On a school day, she usually wakes up at 5 a.m. No matter the day, Peggy starts each one with prayer. “When I wake up from my bed, I kneel down to pray. In my prayer, I say, ‘Jesus, you have blessed me that I have seen a new day.’ Then, I also ask God to protect me,” Peggy says.

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6:30 a.m. -- Morning chores

Peggy leaves her sleeping hut and grabs a broom to sweep the house's surroundings. Her next chore is to wash plates, but she has to draw water first from a nearby stream. As the eldest of four children, Peggy is a busy girl who happily helps her parents without being asked.

8:30 a.m. -- Picking tomatoes for neighbors

One of Peggy’s friends stops by to ask for some tomatoes. World Vision trained Peggy’s parents to grow nutritious foods for their family to eat and to sell for income. They also generously share the produce with their neighbors.

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10 a.m. -- Digging up cassava

The morning is warming up, and the sky is getting clearer. Peggy sets out with her two brothers, carrying two hoes and a machete, for a 20-minute trek to their fields. They work hard harvesting some corn and digging up cassava roots. Cassava is a nutritious plant that requires little water to grow. Its leaves can be cooked like spinach, and its roots can be boiled like potatoes or ground into a vitamin-packed powder for porridge.

2 p.m. -- Studying

Even though it is a school holiday today, Peggy insists on studying. Much of her incentive to study comes from her World Vision sponsor, who gave her pens, pencils, and inspiration. “About two years ago, I received a letter from my sponsor, but I could not read it because I didn’t know how to read English. Someone had to read it for me. This is why I am working hard to learn how to read, write, and speak. (Now) I am able to read English well, and I want my sponsor to know this so that we can be communicating.”

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3 p.m. -- Playtime and more chores

Every day, Peggy gets together with friends, and they play her favorite sport called “Game,” a keep-away game with a ball. Then, it’s back to work! “When I finish playing, I come home to assist Mum with cooking, washing plates, and babysitting while she is preparing dinner for us,” says Peggy.

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7 p.m. -- Dinner and bedtime

Peggy’s father has returned from selling tomatoes at the market. His hard work is an inspiration to Peggy, who dreams of being a successful businesswoman when she has finished her education. For today, the sun is setting, and Peggy and her family gather for dinner. “After having my dinner around 7 or 8 p.m., I go to prepare my bed, pray, and sleep,” she says.

Sponsor a child in Zambia today. You can form a personal relationship with a child like Peggy, sharing in her joys and dreams as she grows up to be a healthy, productive adult, thanks to your love and support.

Already a sponsor? Share with us some of your most memorable or favorite moments communicating with your sponsored child!

Comments

Hi Beatrice- I love that you are so passionate about caring for people in Mongolia! A great way to help care for a family in Mongolia is to buy a share of a Mongolian Ger. Click <a href="donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?lpos=ctr_txt_ShareofaMongolianGer&amp;item=126&amp;go=item&amp;campaign=10892968" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a> to find out more! Let me know if you have any questions.

i was always wondering how my child's life looks like, cuz i am not able to visit her in Niger so far. Thank you for sharing this article and those beautiful pictures.:-) Wish one day I could visit my child.

Hi, I just became a sponsor 2 months ago to a child from Mauritania. I struggle with the fact that it is a Muslim community, and I am not supposed to speak of Jesus. Can I even tell her that I am praying for her, or that I am a Christian? It is so hard for me to not speak of God's great love for her and what he has done for me and my family. Any advice?

I understand why you would like to write to your sponsored child about Jesus, so I want to let you know why that is not possible. In many countries it is often against the law to speak openly about the Christian faith, or even to convert. In some places, initiating a religious conversation could cause us to be expelled from the country. Yet if we are questioned concerning our faith, we are allowed to reply. In countries where there are few, if any, Christians, World Vision workers show their faith, hope, and Christian values through Christlike living and caring actions, as they work with the children and their families.

Mauritania is identified by World Vision as one of the areas in which we ask sponsors to refrain from referring to Jesus or Christianity, using evangelistic language, or making comparisons between religions when sending packages, writing letters, or sending emails. This communication can be confusing and may alienate your sponsored child, alarm her parents, or create relationship challenges for World Vision staff.

It is our hope that this information helps you understand that we must take this position in order to ensure the safety of our staff and the children we serve. ~Matthew, blog manager